Caterpillar Room - 12 Months

Welcome To The Caterpillar Room!

We hope your families find this to be a helpful tool to follow your child’s journey this year in preschool at Upbring School of Arts and Sciences (USAS). Be sure to check back in for school information, classroom updates, and, of course, pictures, videos, and extra resources of our daily adventures and learning experiences.

Meet Our Teacher

Ms. Connie was born and raised in Nebraska, but has made her home in Austin for many years. She has more than 30 years teaching experience in preschool and elementary classrooms, as well as 5 years experience operating an in-home childcare. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia University Nebraska, completed her ECE endorsement through Concordia University Texas and maintains Texas teacher certification. In 2006 she was honored to be named the Outstanding Early Childhood Educator of the year by the Texas District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Ms. Connie thoroughly enjoys working with young children and is excited to work in a Reggio Emilia inspired setting. Using the Stemscopes curriculum provides the children with many “Aha moments” as they discover and learn about the world around them. She is very excited to be teaching in the 12 month room and being part of the USAS-CA team!

At Upbring, we recognize that children enter the system at different stages of their lives and due to varying life events. Because the types of abuse and neglect vary among children, we are committed to raising the standards and addressing the entire spectrum.

Upbring will accomplish this through an innovative continuum of services and community partnerships, each tracking progress against markers of safety, life skills, education, health and vocation, all of which are critical to breaking the cycle of child abuse.

Strategic Partner - Foundation Communities

We know that foster care placement is 34 times higher for families experiencing homelessness than the general population of same aged children. We know that more than 1 in 5 youth who age out of foster care will become homeless after 18.

Foster families are eligible to apply for financial assistance (based on individual locations).

Join their team! The Y is hiring, with lots of flexible part-time opportunities!

Strategic Partner - Phoenix House

Health. We know that children of parents with substance abuse disorders are 3 times more likely to be abused and 4 timesmore likely to be neglected, making a holistic approach to treatment and recovery optionsthat incorporate family services essential. (Learn more about Phoenix House here.)

Outpatient treatment with individual, group and family counseling for teens struggling withdrug/alcohol abuse.

Strategic Partner - Dell Children's

Health. We know that experiencing multiple traumatic childhood events – being removed from family – and toxic stress are determinants of lifelong disparities in physical and mental health. Access to high-quality, trauma-informed, integrated health care is critical.(Learn more about Dell Children’s programs here)